But the Tories claimed ministers were attempting to "bribe" schools into increasing the number of diploma students.

Diplomas are intended to combine work-based training with classroom study – bridging the traditional divide between academic and vocational qualifications.

They were launched in September 2008 in five practical subjects – construction, media, engineering, information technology and health. A further five, including hair and beauty, hospitality and manufacturing, were introduced this year with promises of eight more to come.

This includes diplomas in the traditional academic subjects of languages, humanities and science.

But official figures published on Wednesday show only 11,326 teenagers took them in the first 12 months. It includes 1,409 who took the most demanding “advanced” diplomas.

This was around a quarter of original estimates and represents less than 0.5 per cent of eligible students aged 14 to 19.

Earlier, ministers said £113.9m was spent on diplomas in the first 12 months – the equivalent of £10,056 per student. The average per pupil funding in England is currently just over £4,200.

In Durham, diplomas were taken by only 15 students, while 16 teenagers sat them in Hillingdon and Shropshire. In some areas with large numbers of deprived students, numbers were also below 20, including St Helens and Wandsworth, south London.

Figures show that in Croydon, south London, only 17 pupils took diplomas.

The disclosure comes just weeks after the Advertising Standards Authority upheld complaints about a series of misleading Government diploma adverts.

Michael Gove, the Tory shadow schools secretary, said the cash amounted to "diploma bribes" from ministers.

“They produced fraudulent adverts, over-estimated the numbers that would take them, and muddied the waters about their purpose by proposing additional diplomas in academic subjects instead of only vocational ones,” he said.

Ed Balls, the Schools Secretary, said in 2007 that diplomas could eventually become the “qualification of choice” and refused to rule out the possibility that they may replace GCSEs and A-levels altogether.

A DCSF spokesman said the number of students taking diplomas from September 2009 had grown.

He added: “Any new qualification needs substantial investment to succeed, particularly one as innovative as the diploma. The investment we are making now will benefit all Diploma learners throughout the lifetime of the qualification, not just those learning in the first year.

"The investment to this stage is heavily front-loaded and includes set-up costs, development and teacher training. This government remains committed to investing in our young people and ensuring their potential can be fulfilled and recognised, especially in these tough economic times.”